Electrode brace



' Jyly 18; 1944.

W. W. WATROUS, JR

ELECTRODE BRAGE Filed Feb. 17, 1943 INVENTOR J 1 K4 W/777?0US,Jk'. Wm MATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1944 Westinghouse Electric & ManufacturingCompany, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplicationFebruary 17, 19 43, SerialNo. 478,158

7 Claims. (01. 250-275) This invention relates to electrode braces andmore particularly to braces by which the electrode afiected is retainedin desired position by bracing support from the envelope or other partsurrounding the electrode.

An object of the invention is to obtain bracing of an electrode whichwill be unfailing in operation and yet afford desired resiliency forintroduction of adequate pressure to hold the electrode in position.

Another object of the invention is to avoid the use of mica andeliminate detrimental effects of presence of mica within an envelope ofan electron discharge device.

A further object of the invention is to assure proper alignment orcoaxial relation of the electrodes.

Again, an object of the invention is to deter conduction of heat fromthe electrode to the enclosing envelope.

Further objects of the invention are to obtain simplicity ofconstruction, avoid multiplicity of parts, afford a neat appearance, andprovide ease of assembly lending itself to efficient production methods.

Still further objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionprogresses, both by direct recitation thereof and by implication fromthe context.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in:

which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout theseveral views:

Figure 1 is an elevation of an electron discharge device, with part ofthe envelope broken away, showing the invention in place.

Figure 2 is a magnified cross-section on line 11-11 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on line III-III of Fig. 2; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3. showing the electrodeand its brace in process of assembly. I

In the specific embodiment of the. invention illustrated in saiddrawing, the reference numeral l designates an electron discharge devicein general which comprises a base II in which is secured a glass orother envelope l2 an upper portion whereof is constricted, as at I3, toform a part usually identified as a dome in the parlance of the art.This dome provides a cylindrical side wall of less diameter than themain part of the envelope. Within the envelope, concentric therewith,are located the desired electrodes, indicated herein as a cathode l4,anode l5 and grid "5 assembled to constitute thedevice a thyratron. Asshown, the grid is a cylinder and the cathode and anode are within butspaced therefrom and respectively near the bottom and top ends of thecylindrical grid. According to usual practice, the cathode is supportedfrom lead-in wires sealed through a stem and press I! constituted as are-entrant part'at the base of the envelope, and the anode is similarlysupported by a lead-in wire sealed through a'press H3 at the dome end ofthe envelope. I r

The grid I6 is supported at its lower end from a collar l9 applied tothe stem; ll, general practice being to clamp the collar as tightly aspossible without breakingthe glass of the stem. Studs or supporting.members are secured to the collar I9 and project upwardly therefrom atthe outside of the grid cylinder longitudinally and in contact with thesurface thereof and welded or otherwise secured thereon. The studs orsupporting members 20 preferably extend to the upper end of the gridcylinder, but an upper end portion approximately the depth of theenvelope dome, is left unw'elded from the grid cylinder, therebyenabling that end portion, now identified by numeral 2|, free to be bentoutwardly as shown in Figure 4.

Studs or supporting members 2I are of a suitably resilient metal andformed with the upper end portions 2| thereof normally in the bent-outor diverging position as above described. Closely adjacent to the upperends of said bent-out portions are provided beads 22,

tially of doughnut shape. These beads are of high electrical and thermalresistivity, the latter being important for preventing the conduc-- tionof heat to the envelope that might set up suificientglass strain tocause cracking. The beads are, accordingly, preferably a suitableceramic. In registration with the bead in each instance, the gridcylinder is provided with a slot or opening 23 of appropriate size,shape and location to receive the portion of the bead projecting towardthe grid from the support. An edge portion of thebead projects into saidopening even with the stud bent outward, and the button is accordinglyheld assembled upon the stud by this engagement in the slot and does notrequire special attachment to the stud itself. Location of the bead inthe slot keeps the bead from sliding either up or down on the stud. Theenvelope and grid are slid from the full-line position of Fig. 4 to thedotted line position, and in this step of assembly the beads rideagainst the tapering wall 24 of the envelope joining the main part ofthe envelope and the dome, thereby flexing the studs inwardly toward thegrid with the ceramic bead having one marginal portion in contact withand pressing against the wall of the dome and a diametrically oppositemarginal portion of the bead projecting into the said slot or opening inthe grid.

The studs or supporting members 20 are symmetrically situated around thegrid, and as envelope and a cylindrical and coaxial member within theenvelope with an outer peripheral portion in proximity to an innerperipheral portion of the envelope, ceramic beads intenposed a result ofthe resilient lateral pressure exerted by each upon the said grid, thegrid is retained coaxial within the envelope and with respect to theother electrodes. The bracing afforded by the resilient end portions ofthe studs overcomes inertia due to the mass of the grid and possibilityof dislodg'ing the collar on the stem. Obviously the mass center for thegrid is at a considerable distance from the collar, thereby setting upan effectively long leverage and endangering proper coaxial location ofthe grid if held at one end only. The structure here shown supports thegrid at both ends.

Preferably the studs are formed from metal not only having resiliencybut having adequate strength and other characteristics acceptable to itsuse and to electron-tube manu-- facture, andas examples, may be of KMonel or Z nickel.

From the foregoing, it will now be evident that the structure of thepresent invention provides a very neat appearing assembly, of few andsimple parts and readily assembled and held tolerance permitted formisalignment of the electrodes.

I claim:

1. An electron discharge device having an envelope and electrodes ofwhich one electrode is cylindrical and coaxial within the envelope withan outer peripheral portion in proximity to an inner peripheral portionof the envelope, ceramic beads interposed at intervals between the saidone electrode and said envelope, and resilient means on which said beadsare mounted.

2. An electron discharge device havingan envelope with a constrictedcylindrical wall, said device having electrodes ofwhich one iscylindrical and projects into the space within the said constricted wallof the envelope in spaced relation thereto, ceramic beads inte-r' posedat intervals between said constricted wall and the portion of the saidcylindrical electrode projecting into said space within said wall, and

resilient means on which said beads are mounted.

3. An electron discharge device having an at intervals between the saidmember and said envelope, and resilient means on which said beads aremounted, said resilient means exerting an outward pressure on the beadsand maintaining the beads in engagement with the envelope therebyretaining said member in position in and braced by said envelope.

4. An electron discharge device having an envelope and electrodes ofwhich one electrode has an end portion exposed to and in proximity to aninner wall of the envelope, studs supporting the other end of saidelectrode and secured to said electrode and extending to thefirstmentioned end of the electrode and bent away from the electrodethereat and resilient, and means on said studs next the bent-away endsthereof for engagement with the envelope whereby the resilient pressureof the studs is exerted against the envelope and reacts to retain theelectrode in position.

5. An electron discharge device having an envelope and electrodes ofwhich one electrode has an end portion exposed to and in proximity to aninner wall of the envelope, studs welded to and supporting the other endportionof said electrode and extending the length of and on the outsideof said electrode and bent away from the said electrode at the said endthereof exposed toward the envelope and resilient thereat so as to bedepressed in assembly toward the electrode and resiliently retain theelectrode, and beads of high electrical and thermal resistivity on saidstuds next the bent-away ends thereof in contact with the said envelopeand reacting with the resiliency of the studs for retaining theelectrode in position.

6. An electron discharge device having an envelope and electrode ofwhich one electrode is cylindrical and has an end portion thereof spacedin proximity to the envelope, ceramic beads within the space betweensaid electrode and envelope and of greater dimension normal to theenvelope than the space between the electrode and envelorp, saidelctrode having slots for receiving an edge portion next thereto of thebead, and means for resiliently mounting the bead to press intoengagement with the wall of the envelope.

'7. An electron discharge device having an envelope and electrodes ofwhich one electrode is cylindrical and has an end portion thereof spacedin proximity to the envelope, ceramic beads within the space betweensaid electrode and envelope, resilient means also between said electrodeand envelope and mounting said beads thereon, said resilient means andbeads combining to afford resilient bracing of the electrode and holdingtotal permissible movement of the electrode with respect to the envelopewithin a close tolerance.

WARD W. WATROUS, JR.

